Harry Redknapp - Do you blame him?

I opened my inbox, where I could read the first line of each message and strangely, they all had one word in common: Redknapp. My heart skipped a beat. What now? I knew Redknapp was a bit of a cheeky chappy, proven by his addiction to saying one thing and meaning another, but surely he hasn't.....no, it can't be. I tentatively opened the first message: 'Redknapp gone to Spurs! B*****d!'. I couldn't believe it. I opened the next, from my Tottenham-fan University buddy in Essex: 'Redknapp's arrived! Sorry mate, we got Harry!'. I deleted the rest without reading them. I couldn't quite believe it.....

This set the mood for the rest of the day. I immediately got up and turned on Setanta Sports News and there he was - grinning at me from my TV. Traitor. Judas. I felt betrayed and angry. Overcast skies, rain, miserable atmospheres - and it was only 8am. I spent the rest of the day in a bit of a sulk, and woke up the next day at 6.30am to go shopping for a costume for a fancy dress party on Halloween. As I was driving into Portsmouth, it reminded me of the drive I take to Fratton Park on a matchday. Then I got thinking....is it really any wonder he left?

Think about it: he's just won the FA Cup with us, and has done the impossible and given us fans European Football for the first time ever. Many fans, unrealistically in my opinion, expect him to build on this: maybe finishing 5th in the league, as well as another decent FA Cup run, and of course, qualifying past the group stages of the UEFA Cup - even after being beaten by Braga and tough fixtures coming up. Not only that, the board are, despite what they say, in financial difficulties, and it was inevitable that Portsmouth would need to sell players anyway - which would leave Redknapp with no transfer budget, if any.

Sacha Gaydamak's financial history has been doubted in the past - is the club his, or is it Daddy's? His father has had his fair share of controversial financial dealings, and word has it as soon as he steps foot out of Israel he'll be extradited to France faster than he could say 'Sacre Bleu!'. Hardly the type of dealings that are usually associated with Premier League football clubs.

Not only that, but look at the pressure Spurs have been under lately. Under-achieving, under performing Spurs. On paper, Spurs are a top six team - how many of you can honestly say that before the season began Spurs would get relegated. All, and yes I mean ALL of Spurs problems are due to one person, and one person only - Juande Ramos. The board at Spurs are a good board - Levy rarely gets stuck into team affairs, and quite frankly Juande's man management is poor - reflected in their current league position. As they lost more and more games the pressure heaped on the players to perform under Ramos, and so silly mistakes were made. Despite where they are, Spurs are still a top six team - they just need the right person to steer them the right way - and apparently that is Redknapp.

Can you blame Redknapp for going? At first yes, after all he could have said no. But realistically what else would he achieve at Portsmouth? Not enough I suspect to keep some fans happy - those fans that expect more and more each season. Spurs are a top six team, and Redknapp can see that. Redknapp knows he can definitely turn Spurs fortunes around - all he needs to do is keep them up (and let's face it, that's not a difficult task). I don't blame Redknapp I entirely blame the board for this fiasco. I don't think they realise they are putting the entire squad at jeopardy in that they may follow Redknapp to White Hart Lane. They should have rejected Spurs advances like they rejected the FA when he was gunning for the England job. At the end of the day, Redknapp is a quality man-manager, and as such will be in demand - if he didn't go to Spurs now then he would've gone elsewhere at another time.

Redknapp - you will be missed. Storrie & Gaydamak - I sure hope you know what you're doing, because the way it stands you two will be very unpopular come May.

Written by PFCGino.

The views within this article are the views of the individual who wrote and submitted this piece, sometimes solely theirs. They are not necessarily shared by the Vital Pompey Site Journalists.

Your Comments (oldest first)

Yes I blame him, had it been the first time he'd done it to us i probably would've been more understanding but to do it twice, it was bad enough that he left but then he really takes th p*** by saying Spurs are a Big Big club. Thanks for the cup Harry now sod off and take Spurs down, don't bother coming back this time.

Rug, I don't blame him for going, for all the reasons you say. But the way he went? In the middle of the season, hours before a match? Covering his back and putting the knife in by saying that he was doing us a favour getting 5mil for him? Standing there on TV telling everyone he has one or two players in mind for January? Come on Rug, the only reason he coming to the Freedom of the City thing is so he can tap up the players he wants ready for January. So what if we've got no money left? He has had the good times with us and now he is leaving us to take the bad alone. He can say what he likes about getting us the FA Cup, he also bought in a lot of old tosh that we are now stuck with and cannot sell, which has no doubt contributed to our money woes. Talk about a Rat and a sinking ship. The man is an out and out ********. I saw your face on Sunday before the match, and Rug, he doesn't deserve someone like you sticking up for him.

not my words guys, those of PFCGino...do i blame him? hell yes i do, he didnt have to go but he wanted to - he screwed us over when he promised that he would not do it again - i wont forgive him this time, thanks for what you did for us, but lets not let him forget what we also did for him too!thanks, we now move onto the new chapter 'tony adams blue and white army'...

As I've said I don't blame him all that much - I'm more angry at the board for allowing this to happen - it was the board that accepted the offer in the first instance. As much as I hate to say it, but I agree that Tottenham are a big big club and it pains me so much to say that they are bigger than Pompey. Of course I feel betrayed that he moved as does every Pompey fan, but he obviously saw a better opportunity and took it. I can't fault the guy for what he's done for us though.

Harry promised us he would never leave us again. what a liar! Spurs isn'tthat big a club and he was slagging spurs of the other week for their treatmen of sol campell. Does he have a memory problem? How can you go to a club whose fans are so bitter about a player like sol? Yes he done a good job, but he has lied to us once too often. Hope spurs go down! Harrys timing couldn't have been worse! PLAY UP POMPEY!

Harry is two-faced, that's the problem - always has been. Don't agree with what you say about Spurs' problems all being down to Ramos (even though he proved to be *****e) - wasn't it Levy who sacked Jol after two top 5 finishes? Wsn't it Levy who appointed an inept Director of Football? Anyway, I don't care a stuff about Spurs other than hoping more than ever that they go down. Football is full of hypocracy and Spurs are massive perpetrators of this so they and Harry are well-matched. How they whinged about there players being tapped up - just watch what happens in January. F*ck you, Redknapp - you're not so great that I'm thinking we'll fail without you, it's just you can't keep your bullshiŁting mouth shut, can you? PLAY UP POMPEY!

Even if he did get Spurs relegated we wouldn't want Harry back. He has done the dirty on us once to often! It was hard the first time when he left for southampton, but this takes the biscuit! Lets all stand by Tony Adams and give him the support he needs. PLAY UP POMPEY!

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